The present invention relates generally to telecommunications equipment. More particularly, the present invention relates to telecommunications equipment used in line sharing environments.
Telecommunications systems are known which use cables containing bundles of twisted pairs of conductors for transmitting signals between locations for voice only signals, data only signals, and combined voice and data signals. In these systems, some of the telecommunications equipment for processing and transmitting the signals through the cables is configured for connection to cable connectors with multiple pairs of connectors, e.g. 25 pair Telco or Amp connectors. The connectors and cables provide links between the various pieces of telecommunications equipment in a twisted pair telephone system. In a telephone carrier system servicing residences and/or businesses, the system may include an MDF (Main Distribution Frame), a POTS (Plain Old Telephone Service) splitter for separating voice and data signals, and a DSLAM (Digital Subscriber Line Access Multiplexer).
The telecommunications industry offers various services that may be provided by Incumbent Local Exchange Carriers (ILECs) and Competitive Local Exchange Carriers (CLECs). Recent rulings promulgated by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and U.S. Congress have clarified the relationship and obligations between ILECs and CLECs. The term ILEC refers to a primary existing central office carrier, as distinguished from a new competitive carrier (CLEC) that came into existence after federal deregulation of the telecommunications industry.
A recent FCC Order directed to xe2x80x9cline sharingxe2x80x9d requires that ILECs must provide unbundled access to the high frequency bandwidth (e.g., data band) of the local loop to any CLEC that seeks to deploy any version of xDSL which is presumed to be acceptable for shared line deployment in accordance with the rules adopted in the ORder. In short, an ILEC must provide physical space in its central office, such as a collocation cage which will be described in greater detail hereinafter, and must also provide access to the ILEC""s main distribution frame. From the consumer""s perspective, the federally mandated interrelationship between ILECs and CLECs has provided the consumer with a wide variety of telecommunication service options, including, in particular, ADSL, IDSL (ISDN DSL), SDSL (Symmetric DSL) and VDSL (very high speed DSL) services. It is desirable to be able to easily test the communication lines of the system to identify errors.
In accordance with a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a telecommunications system. The system includes a main distribution frame, an access panel, a splitter unit, a voice switch and a multiplexer.
The main distribution frame is operatively coupled to a telecommunication carrier""s signal lines. The access panel has inputs and outputs, and includes test ports for allowing a testing device to be coupled to the access panel wherein the inputs and outputs of the access panel are operatively coupled together unless a test device is coupled to the test ports and in that case the inputs are disconnected from the outputs, the inputs of the access panel are operatively coupled to the main distribution frame. The splitter unit is operatively coupled to the main distribution frame to receive mixed voice and data signals from the main distribution frame wherein the splitter unit has first outputs and second outputs and the splitter unit separates the voice signals from the mixed signals and outputs the voice signals at the first outputs. The voice switch is operatively coupled to the first outputs of the splitter unit.
The multiplexer is operatively coupled to the second outputs of the splitter unit, wherein when a test device is coupled to the test ports of the access panel, the test device has direct metallic access to the telecommunication carrier""s signal lines for testing.
In accordance with a second aspect of the invention there is provided a telecommunication access panel. The panel includes input connectors for receiving signals from a splitter unit, output connectors for coupling signals to a multiplexer unit wherein the outputs are operatively coupled to the inputs, test ports for allowing a test device to be coupled to the access panel wherein when a test device is coupled to the test ports, the inputs are disconnected from the outputs and DC blocking capacitors operatively coupled between the inputs and outputs to provide DC isolation of the inputs from the outputs.